The Beast Within
by Slinky-and-the-BloodyWands
Summary: Post HBP. Remus is captured by Death Eaters and put in a cell with Ginny Weasley one evening before the full moon. Will they escape before his wolf can get it's way? Slight RLGW.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**A/N: This is set during the summer after _Half-Blood Prince_. This is my first attempt at a Remus/Ginny, so be gentle. **

_**The Beast Within**_

**Chapter 1**

_I blame it on the beast within—_

_It helps me with those midnight sins._

"_Push and pull and live my way,_

_Live to fight another day."_

_It whispers soothingly in my ear_

_To make me forget my guilt and fear,_

"_Follow the blood lust,_

_Grind their bones to dust,_

_Lap up a crimson lake_

_And tear their flesh for hunger's sake."_

_And I pray to be so bold_

_As to leave this earthly load—_

_While the beast takes my mind,_

_To taste silver and leave this hell behind._

Remus blamed it on the beast.

His weary eyes searched the night sky, his throat constricting in fear that washed his features white and helped to add a few more gray hairs to his head. The wolf locked within paced its human cage impatiently. The moon was almost full, missing only a tiny sliver—the line between man and monster. This time tomorrow night it would be him pacing, hidden by animal rage and hunger, but, for now, he could be of some use to the Order, to Harry.

They had disappeared during the last full moon while Remus was locked away and the watch for the evening consisted mainly of a few new members. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny had faded into the night, leaving no clues behind for the Order to follow. Only a simple note was left in Hermione Granger's handwriting. It said that they had things to do and that they were safe. That was not enough for the Order.

After all, they were only _kids_, out in a dangerous world by themselves. Remus bit his lip, a bitter smile on his pallid face. _Perhaps if we had trusted them in the first place, they wouldn't have done this. Perhaps if I had gotten to know them better. . . _Remus buried the thought. It was too late to regret. They were gone and had to be found.

Almost a full month had passed since the run away. No leads had appeared, and Remus could not figure out how someone as famous as Harry Potter had remained undetected. He also wondered what it was they were searching for, for surely Dumbledore had left Harry with some bit of information that he had not given the Order. Remus wanted to know, but more so, he wanted conformation that they were still alive and well.

And where else could one go for such knowledge if not Knockturn Alley.

Remus stayed to the shadows, hugging the closed shops and passing the stray witch or wizard without a sound. Half a block away, yellow light glared through a set of dirty windows and seeped through the cracks of the door to The Salamander. Minerva McGonagall had forbid him from contacting any less than honest associates with bribes and offers, and he had followed the order until now, when desperation was at its height.

He reached out for the door handle, and a hand clasped over his shoulder to stop him from entering.

He hadn't heard a soul approach, but his nostrils now took in the ripe, all too familiar scent of blood and perspiration. The wolf howled out to its brother, and the hand on him squeezed down, clasping onto him like a claw.

"Long time, no see, old friend," said a gruff voice.

"Greyback," Remus greeted, slipping his hand down into his robes.

A crude laugh touched his ear, and Remus could smell the other werewolf's breath, rank with rotten meat. His wand was snatched from him before he could lift it. Fenrir turned Remus around and threw him back into the brick outer wall of the bar. A snap later, Remus saw fragments of his wand fall to the stone walk.

"How long did you think you could hide from us? Did you think we would not come for you?" Fenrir growled. "Or were you too busy living out your happy little life, fighting for the _good,_ to remember your old friends?"

Remus opened his mouth to reply and a fist caught him in the chest, knocking the breath from him in one painful burst. He doubled over, falling to the ground. He pushed himself up on his arms, but a foot slammed into his gut, throwing him onto his back and smacking his head against the stone. Fenrir placed the heavy boot over Remus's neck, stepping down ever so slightly.

Remus tried to gasp at the pain, but no sound came from his mouth. He grabbed hold of Fenrir's leg with both hands in a vain attempt to shake him off.

"Weak?" Greyback asked. He grinned down. "That's what happens when you don't let your wolf out to play for so long. He starts to dig his teeth into your insides, killing you slowly. I taught you that much, didn't I?"

Eyes glinting dangerously, Remus coughed, "I. . .will. . .kill. . ."

Fenrir laughed, pushing the toe of his boot down on Remus's windpipe, threatening to crush it with one tip of his weight. "Kill? A weakling such as you couldn't kill a fly. You wouldn't even hunt to save yourself. Tell me, old friend, what are you living for? I heard that there was a pretty young piece in your life now." The werewolf paused, breathing deeply through his nose. "But, I smell no woman on you."

Remus's expression softened and Fenrir cocked his head with a mocking frown. "Did you think a nice girl would want a beast like you? She couldn't handle it, could she? That's what you get for trying to be with someone who is not our kind."

Fenrir looked over his shoulder suddenly. "They're on their way. I sent Ulf to fetch them when I spotted you. You were a fool for leaving the comfort of your home, Remus. Were it up to me, I would give you some honor. In reflection, you are almost a son, so I would gladly slit your throat and let the pack lick up your blood. But, alas, I promised you to them. They get to use you first."

Pops sounded from around the two, but Greyback was still staring down at Remus. "Keep hope. When they are finally finished with you, they have sworn that the pack will be given the privilege of taking your life."

Fenrir stepped back, releasing a gasping Remus.

Rolling himself onto his side, Remus's sight blurred at the sudden movement and lack of oxygen, but he would still make out the forms of three Death Eaters. He expected pain. He expected questions. Instead, the center figure raised a wand and ropes shot forth, wrapping around Remus's arms. One of the others stepped forward, grabbing hold of him.

Remus felt his senses leave him as he apparated with the Death Eater. He opened his eyes, not realizing that they had been shut. He was in a dark corridor. The Death Eater kicked at his legs, and Remus lifted himself up onto his feet.

Two more pops sounded as the others arrived, pushing him forward from behind. Remus was too weak to give a decent fight. Instead, he stumbled along, bouncing off the corridor walls and the Death Eater at his side holding his sleeve to keep him balanced. But the wolf was wide awake, snapping at the attackers. The wolf perked its ears, hearing the sound of water, the sounds of earth far below. Wherever they had taken him, he was above tree level, though the hallway carried the musty scent of the underground.

Remus spotted what lay at the hall's end, a cell of sorts, its front enclosure consisting of bars tightly netted in diagonals. Through the small, diamond-shaped openings, he could see what appeared to be a prison cell. He could also see moonlight. The ceiling was missing over the cell, replaced with the netted bars. The open sky confused him for a moment until he spotted what lay on the cell's plank bed, the thin, covered form of a female.

He spotted a tussle of red hair peaking out from beneath the raggedy blanket, and Remus's eyes widened in sudden realization. The girl moved, uncovering her face and confused blue eyes confirming his fears.

"No. . ." he breathed in terror.

He watched Ginny Weasley's eyes brim with tears as he was pulled to a stop in front of the cell. The door opened for him, and the Death Eater at his side pushed him slightly, trying to get him to budge.

"Go," the Death Eater said.

Remus turned away from the cell for a moment, eyes trailing over the Death Eater's mask as he was pushed through the opening. He had recognized that voice. It was one he knew well. It was one he had never wanted to hear again.

"Severus," Remus stated.

The Death Eater paused. "Get inside, Lupin," he hissed.

Remus let a slight, aspirated laugh escape as he stumbled in, the door slamming behind him. He turned to the bars, staring through them. "Was this your plan?"

The Death Eater looked away, gesturing for the other two to leave. "Does it really matter, Lupin?" asked Snape.

"Bastard," Remus hissed. "Of course, what more could I expect from someone who betrayed the only man who ever gave a shit for him. I can't believe we ever trusted you—I guess James and Sirius were right all along."

"And look where that knowledge got them," Snape replied. He walked away, following the other two Death Eaters.

Remus stared after them for a moment before he turned his attention back to his surroundings. Ginny Weasley was still watching him, though the tears were now gone, replayed with something akin to comfort.

They didn't speak for a moment, each gathering the strength.

"Professor," Ginny finally said. "I'm sorry. I ran. . ."

Remus wanted to assure her that there was nothing to be sorry for, but he couldn't. He wanted to step forward and hold the girl, to tell her that all would be well, but for the moment, he was powerless. His own hope, what little he had, fled. With all of his heart, he knew that she was not aware of their situation.

So he looked to the sky, to the glaring moonlight. From the corner of his eye, he saw her look up as well. Suddenly her mouth dropped open, what little color remained on her face gone as realization dawned on her.

"Oh, Merlin," she sighed. "How long?"

Remus's body tightened as the wolf danced in anticipation. "The change will come tomorrow. We have less than a day."

Remus had reason to blame the beast.

**End Notes: Yup, that was short. I hope you liked this alright. Review and tell me what you think, or I'll have to sic my werewolf after you. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

_**The Beast Within**_

**Chapter 2**

She was going to die.

The moon was low, hanging as if by a thread. And as her head swam with too many thoughts, she could see it swinging like a great clock's rhythmic tail—_tick-tock, _it took her life one second at a time.

Ginny tore her eyes from the night sky, staring back at the man across from her. Remus had slid down the wall at her opposite, his legs crossed almost meditatively and his head rolled back against the cool, uneven stone behind him. He seemed to be studying the bars that made up the front wall of their 'cage', and he had been doing so for the last ten minutes, silent as death.

She knew the truth, that he was too afraid to come closer or even look her way, terrified at the prospect of doing her harm. He honestly didn't show it. His lined, boyish face was as calm as ever. But Ginny knew that he was being tortured on the inside because that was what she felt like.

"Professor," she said. Her voice was small, and it reminded her of a kitten begging for milk. She hated its weakness, but, at the moment, that was not what was bothering her the most.

The werewolf paid her no attention.

She wanted to shout out at him, to tell him how selfish his silence was, but instead she wondered why he was no longer her teacher, why her mouth called him 'professor' but her mind called him Remus. A part of her argued that she should keep some bit of propriety, sanity in this insane situation, but the other came from a place closer to her heart.

She needed to call his name, the one that first came to her when he entered her horrid cell.

"Remus!" she snapped.

"Ginny," he replied, finally giving her a second glance. His eyes belonged to a soulless, but she knew that no Dementor had given him its kiss.

She was happy just hear him say her name—not Miss Weasley or Ginerva. Her soul softened enough for hope to return. "Do I honestly smell that bad?" she asked, brushing back a lock of greasy red hair.

Remus blinked, a dumbfounded expression upon his face. "What?" He quickly shook his head. "No. . . Of course not."

Ginny let out a dry laugh. "Then will you at least come and sit by me?" She pulled her feet beneath her, making room. "And it wouldn't kill you to talk to me either."

Lupin stood slowly, his body aching from the quick beating he'd been dealt earlier. He walked toward the young witch and sat down opposite her on the makeshift cot she'd thrown together. After a moment, he scooted back so that they were shoulder to shoulder, backs supported against stone.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Ginny smiled faintly, enjoying the comfort that his warm presence brought. "No, how can I be? I'm locked in a cell, Professor." She nodded bitterly. "But I'm ok, I guess. They haven't hurt me since the day I was brought here."

Remus turned quickly. "Did they use the Cruciatus Curse on you?"

"A little." Ginny winced at the memory, and she felt the wizard beside her tense in anger. "But they stopped right after. It was Bellatrix Lestrange who caught me. She was asking me if I knew where Harry was. . ."

Lupin grabbed her arm. "He's not here?" Ginny shook her head. "And Ron? Hermione? But I thought you were all together?"

"No," Ginny said. "Don't worry. The others are still out there somewhere. I was the only one caught." Her head dropped slightly, face abashed. "The others didn't even know I was taken. See, they were leaving that night. I heard them talking. Do you know that they were going to leave me behind? They had planned it earlier—Harry had to go looking for something and his _two_ best friends were going with him. I planned to follow them, track them down and make them include me. I heard them say that they were going to Diagon Alley first. They, of course, apparated. I tried the Knight Bus. Lestrange caught me almost instantly. It was dumb luck on her part, I suppose—the mouse wandered straight into the food bowl."

"We didn't know," Lupin said.

By _we_, he was referring to the Order. They had been afraid that something awful would happen to the children, but they didn't think that Voldemort had one of them, and they didn't know that Ginny had left on her own.

Ginny shrugged, crossing her arms. "It's a good thing, though, that Harry didn't tell me what he was looking for. The Death Eaters would have probably gotten it out of me. Thankfully, I only knew where their first stop was."

Remus stared at her. "Let me see your face."

The witch turned, opening her eyes wide so that he could see her well. "I know you're looking for some hint of Imperius or a similar curse, but you won't find any. They didn't stop torturing me because they had me under their spell. They stopped because they knew I was telling the truth. Snape saw into my mind and told that awful woman to stop her hexing. Then they put me in a cell."

"And they didn't say why they had decided to let you go unharmed?"

Ginny smirked but her expression was anything but happy. "I can only assume that they thought I was useful. They thought they could use me to get to Harry. My guess is that greasy haired bastard told them that we were close. But I guess they're tired of waiting."

"This doesn't make sense," Remus growled. He leaned forward, balancing his forehead in two palms. "Why now? If they've waited this long, a month, why would they decide to do this to you? Unless. . ." His voice broke off, suddenly hoarse. "Unless they no longer need to use you against Harry."

Panic lit Ginny's face for the first time, and she threw out her legs, scooting beside him. "Do you think they've. . . Do you think they've got Harry and the others? Or he's. . ."

"No." Remus quickly shook his head, slipping a reassuring arm around her shoulders. "No, no, Ginny. We can't give up hope so easily. However, this development could have a simple answer. Perhaps Harry has decided to confront the Dark Lord, or they know his location and are planning to take him. Or it could be even simpler, they've gotten bored, and Voldemort has given his permission."

"You're not wrong, Lupin," hissed a voice.

The two prisoners nearly jumped out of their skins. A robed figure stood at the end of the long hall before them, hands clasped loosely before his navel and slit-like nostrils flared. Remus could smell him now, and his wolf jumped playfully at the sight, ready to tease the snake. But the man was obviously scared. Nevertheless, he stood, a steady hand holding Ginny from doing likewise.

Lord Voldemort sauntered up the hallway, alone, no servants at his side. His red eyes played over the cage in delight. "However," he said, "You're missing one small detail. The girl is of no use to us any longer." The dark wizard smiled grotesquely. "We have a new person to bargain with, to use as a hostage of sorts—someone our dear Harry knows and cares for just as much and who carries valuable information worth retrieving."

Remus found himself shaking his head. He had been a Gryffindor in school, and he had fought as hard as any other in the war. But he had never been one to display open, thoughtless courage. Somehow he was managing to voice the words of two of his best mates, two who were no longer around to do the same.

"I don't know that I carry information of any value," he said coldly. "But, if I did, you would never be able to _retrieve_ it, Voldemort. I will be of no use to you."

The Dark Lord paused a moment, his glare growing so severe that Remus was tempted to turn his back to him. "On the contrary," he said, his voice soft and deadly. "You will prove greatly useful. A mutt like any other, you only need to be broken first. Tomorrow night, you will tear that child beside you into a thousand pieces. And when you've awoken with her blood in her mouth and her fill in your stomach, it will be easy to bend you toward my uses. I know from good sources that you have never fed in such a way. It will be quite a maddening experience for you, I'm sure."

"Sadly," Voldemort concluded, caring his 's' like a great serpent, "I will not be there to witness the event. I have muggles to kill and places to be. But, as a present to my gracious guests, I will have wine sent up for you two of you. Enjoy your last day as an innocent, Lupin. When night next falls, you'll be a murderer, just like the rest of us."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Harry Potter._**

_**The Beast Within**_

**Chapter 3**

She was a red rimmed, featureless form, barely the shape of a woman.

Remus stared at her through the glass, holding it up to eye level to get the most of the morning sunlight. He had already studied the wine as best he could with his preternatural senses alone. It seemed safe enough, but he was hesitant to take a sip or allow Ginny a drink. In fact, he was stalled to even lower the glass, content in being able to focus on the figure through the dark liquid without her knowledge.

"Well?" she asked.

The werewolf shook himself loose from his thoughts, bending down to sit the base of the glass on a level stone. He stepped around it, careful not to tip it over, and made his way back to the cot.

"Miss Weasley, will I have to tell your mother how anxious you were to take a sip out of Lord Voldemort's keg?" Lupin asked, a small smile on his face.

Ginny frowned up at him, a glare of distaste piercing his attempt at badly placed humor. "It has to be better than that filth they call water," she stated, nodding her head in the direction of a bowl at one corner of the room.

"I almost mistook it for the waste bucket myself," Lupin agreed, "but you should not be willing to take whatever's given to you. Usually a gift from one's enemy is not good for one's health."

The young witch rolled her eyes, slouching back. "And what's it going to do, _Professor_? Kill me? That seems a bit pointless."

"You're right, of course." Remus leaned forward, elbows balanced on his knees. "They expect you to be dead at nightfall." He didn't bother to look back at her. "So, obviously, you're not going to die of dehydration by then. Stay out of the wine, Ginerva."

He heard her sigh, and it rattled his bones. Honestly, Remus was happy that she could even allow herself to feel aggravation at such a time. For his light mood, he was dying on the inside, choking himself to stop the misery he felt from showing.

_Don't let her see, Remus. Don't let her see what they've done to your spirit, man! Don't let her see what the beast does to you every month. . . .If she sees, she'll be afraid, just like your pretty Nymph. _

Remus closed his eyes, his body tightening. And then the wolf let out a vicious howl, snapping at the darkness within. The wizard looked up, just in time to see a spell hurling toward him.

He took it in the chest, falling down toward the stone floor, entirely paralyzed. Remus's body might have frozen, but the wolf was still baring fang and claw, scratching under the spell's fence for a way out.

Ginny screamed, and the man and beast stopped struggling as one to hear her.

Lupin could see what was right in front of him.

Death Eaters entered the cage. Ginny ran toward the first, ignoring the villain's wand and throwing her fist into his mask. (The wolf bounced as playfully as a pup, watching through the man's windows.) He stumbled back at the blow, but she didn't have time to run past him. Another was there, grabbing her arm. The one she'd hit snatched up the other, twisting it until she cried out.

The young witch fell to her knees, one at a time, staring up at the two Death Eaters entering the cage with an ugly grimace that didn't belong on such a porcelain face. She didn't know what was in the cauldron they levitated before them but, nevertheless, a deep, guttural groan of anguish escaped from her bite-red lips.

Remus knew. And panic surged in him. Already a wave, it turned into a tsunami. Though he couldn't move to even see the vat, he could smell a scent that was to him as sweet as nectar, as controlling as lust. It was blood. And it was fresh. The smell of spilt life swam through him, wrapping warm fingers around his frozen form from the inside out. Automatically, he recognized it to be a mix. It was, perhaps, ninety-five percent pig . . . no, boar, wild, fierce. The rest was human—a tiny amount really, but just enough to make his nerves jump, the wolf salivate.

No doubt another werewolf had given them the recipe for the seductive cocktail Remus also realized what they planned to do with the blood. He'd never wanted to shut his eyes so badly.

The cauldron was positioned above Ginny's head. The Death Eater's at the entrance flicked their wands and the vat turned slowly, spilling a crimson shower onto the witch below. Sticky gore covered her from the crown of her head to her knees, pressed against the splattered stone floor. She didn't scream, lips clenched, head bowed, a muffled moan shaking her thin body as tears washed the mess from beneath her eyes.

A laugh came from behind a skull mask.

One of the Death Eaters, the second to have entered the cage, let go of Ginny's arm, wand hand covered in bright red from the thumb down.

"Let him resist this," she said, her harsh voice meeting Lupin's ears.

As chaotic as Remus's mind felt, he recognized the woman to be Bellatrix Lestrange. And he watched her approach his frozen form and lean over him, his view little more than black robes. Chuckling, she ran a bloody index finger over his lower lip.

Spicy copper fell down onto his tongue.

_More_. The wolf stood on hind legs, lapping at air.

"You'll gobble up that little pumpkin before the moon takes you, werewolf," Lestrange cooed.

And then she was gone. The cell entrance slammed shut, and Lupin felt the paralyzing hex lift. He rolled off of his side, his rumbling stomach hitting the floor painfully. Remus was less than three paces from the puddle of blood that Ginny sat in on hands and knees.

He pushed back the wolf's howling, hearing the soft, heart wrenching sound of her sobs. The wizard, slid up on his wrists, shaking fingers curled as he stood to look down at her.

"Ginny," he whispered.

The witch kept her head bent for a moment more before slowly looking up at the werewolf, fear in her eyes.

_She sees the beast within. Just like Nymph. She'll take a step back now, muttering about being 'friends'. Just you wait, ol' boy. Watch, she'll probably say she's not scared, even though she's trembling like a lamb. Just you wait. _

"Remus," she cried. And the fear left her with sorrow's company. The girl wrapped her hands around her, hugging herself, the sopping nightgown clinging to her subtle body like a second skin. "Help me, Remus."

The wizard's eyes widened. _Not like Nymph. . . ._

"I will, Ginny. I will," he promised.

**End Notes: Whatcha think? Well, I liked this chapter (at 2 am), even though it's short. Sorry I haven't updated this fic in so long. I'll try to get the next chapter up more quickly. **

**A note on Tonks—I'm sometimes a Lupin/Tonks shipper, but for the purpose of the ship I'm using in this fic, Tonks left Lupin only a few weeks after their relationship began. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Harry Potter. _**

**A/N: Thank you, reviewers! Sorry I made you wait.**

_**The Beast Within**_

**Chapter 4**

"I will, Ginny. I will."

The witch closed her eyes, feeling every inch of her soaked body, unable to warm her cold insides, no matter how hard she hugged herself. Tears slid down her cheeks, red stained rain drops. _I'll never come clean again. Never. No matter how much I try to wash. And the only arms that can hold me are my own. _

When she looked up again, Remus was staring down at her, eyes wet but lit with gold specks, the hint of wolf hunger. "We need to get you out of that gown," he said softly, his voice the only thing that stopped Ginny from shivering.

She nodded but offered no solution, standing still and silent, marble white beneath her crimson cover.

Remus reached out, snatching the rag of a blanket off of her cot and holding it out to her. "Here, wipe off your face and arms with this. We'll wash you're hair off with the rest of the water."

Ginny quickly ran the coarse fabric over her face, rubbing so hard that her skin burned. She ran the cloth over her arms and knees. Without a word, she bent her head down, letting the werewolf pour the cold water over her.

She gasped at the cool shock, but proceeded to wring out her locks with her hands. The blood ran down the floor toward the outer wall, streaming around Lupin's feet. Her professor noticed it, his nostrils flaring as he naturally took in its scent. Ginny looked away from him. _Don't, Ginny. Don't see him that way—that's not Remus Lupin. He's not the wolf yet. He's still the man who used to make you feel safe. . . ._

A tiny smile crossed her face, and Remus raised a puzzled brow.

"I was just remembering something funny," she said. With a smirk, she added, "Are you going to take your clothes off or not, Professor?"

Remus's eyes widened. "What did you. . . ?" The shock diminished. "Oh, I . . . These robes may be a bit too big for you, but they should work," he said, slipping out of his already open over robes until he was only wearing a simple button-up and a pair of ragged slacks.

"I'll have Madam Malkin take them up as soon as we escape," Ginny answered, enjoying the look of surprise on Remus's face as he slowly gave her a smile. "Will you keep watch for me while I change?"

"Oh. . . Of course." He sat his robes on the cot, turning to face the metal netting of their cage, an eye on the corridor in search of any guard.

"No peaking, Professor," Ginny chided, her voice shaking as she slipped out of the sopping gown. _For Merlin's sake, I'm developing Fred and George's humor defense mechanism. Poor Remus probably doesn't know what to think of my jokes. . . .But perhaps watching him blush is worth it. _"Remus," said softly. "Do remember that time in Grimmauld Place a few years back when you were staying the night while my family was there? It was after midnight, and I had wandered to the restroom. . . ."

"Miss Weasley!" he reprimanded. "I know this is a desperate time, but I believe you agreed to never bring that up again. That was rather embarrassing."

She held back a grin, tossing the gown across the cell, watching Lupin's back tense at the sound of the wet cloth hitting the floor. Ginny quickly reached across and grabbed the robes. They almost wrapped around her body twice, but she tied them shut without complaint

"I was just going to say that I guess we're even now. I walked in on you in the tub, and you got to be here. . . .Well, for this little number. I suppose embarrassment is fairly well divided."

Remus turned on his heels. "I dare say it's not, but that's not the point. If your mother ever found out about that she'd never let me in your house again."

"It's not like it was your fault I didn't knock. . . .And Mum would do no such thing—I'm not a child anymore," Ginny said.

"You were a—"

"Not anymore. That's what I said." Her voice grew soft. "Look at us, talking like normal people in a normal situation. Like people who aren't going to die. Isn't that funny. . . ."

_No, Ginny. Don't cry again! It's not worth it. _

But the sobs escaped her, nevertheless, wracking through her frail body. She held her face in her hands, turning away from the wizard, but Remus grabbed her shoulder, pulling her in close to him. She found herself holding to him as they both sat down on the cot together, her face hidden against his chest.

She expected him to pat her back and tell her that everything was going to turn out fine, but he didn't, instead rubbing the spot between her shoulders with his palm, his cheek pressed against her ear.

"I know you're a woman, Ginerva. A strong woman," he whispered and let her cry, undisturbed.

She lay against him, so comfortable, so warm that she had to close her eyes. When she opened them again, she realized that some time had passed and that she had fallen asleep on him. Quickly, Ginny pushed herself up straight, staring at the man who seemed as lucid as ever.

"I didn't want to wake you," he said. "If the bedding is any indication, I doubt you've gotten a good night's sleep, or day's as it were."

"You're right," she said. "I think I might lay down a bit."

_The less time I'm think about tonight, the better. I wish I could just sleep all of this way, though, I know I'll want more time when I wake up, when the moon has risen. . . . _She swallowed deeply, maneuvering around on the cot as Lupin's weight lifted from it.

She rested her head on one arm, curled up like a fetus, the sound of Remus's pacing becoming a lullaby that pushed her back onto sleep's kind borders.

**End Notes: There's actually not that many chapters left to this story, so I should be updating again soon. Sorry about just giving you this filler piece. The next chapter will be much longer (and rather fun to write). Tell me what you think. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Harry Potter._**

****

**Author's Note: Ok, you guys talked me into finishing this. I swear, it will be finished. Obviously, it ignores _Deathly Hallows_. I'm just going to finish it how I had outlined it in my notes. **

**_The Beast Within_**

****

**Chapter 5**

She looked even younger when she was asleep.

Remus was surprised that Ginny didn't toss and turn, her slumber undisturbed by the dormant nightmares that, surely, could not be as terrible as the real horrors laying in wait. She was just another innocent angel who'd gone to sleep with a smudged face and tangled hair and no mother to tuck her in.

But it didn't matter how he saw her, asleep or awake, as a beautiful woman or a child he had taught. She was just meat for the devil inside him, the wolf within who would make him into a murderer tonight. As soon as the moon was high. Too soon.

The heavy shadow over the room made his throat constrict. He could feel his muscles tingling, ready to stretch when skin tasted the moon's full milk pouring overhead. The sky above was already a dark blue, the setting sun's coral rays barely visible. And clouds were sparse. There were not enough of them to block the moon for long, not that they ever helped delay the process much. What would a few more minutes of humanity do—how much time would he need, to save his soul, to save her from the monster.

Remus's ear twitched toward the sudden sound of a footstep. Snape was standing in front of the bars, away from the door, simply watching with his Death Eater's mask in one hand, his hood raised to cover his black hair. For a moment, neither of the men moved.

"You can hear its call?" Snape asked, glancing up at the netted ceiling, staring at one spot as if he could see the moon hanging high.

The werewolf resisted the urge to leap forward and snap at the man. The beast was gaining control, but one glance at Ginny and Remus knew not to wake her, not to make her suffer through some Death Eater's mocking words.

"Come to gloat?" Remus asked, his strained voice barely above a whisper. He stepped closer to the diagonal bars. "Or are you just here for the show, Severus?"

Snape stared at the man, as if considering a proper answer. "While admit, I enjoy the thought of you being lowered to such a state, I do not take pleasure from your current situation," he answered, a pointed look at the young woman on the cot, "at least not the promised outcome."

"From what I've heard, you don't mind allowing girls you know to die so that your _Lord _is pleased. I have no idea how Dumbledore ever believed otherwise," Remus growled grasping on to the bars to keep himself steady. He felt his bones popping slightly and the wolf barking against his ribs, wishing it could do the talking. And it did. "She looks a bit like her, doesn't she," he added, glaring at the other wizard.

"Yes," Snape answered softly, more quickly that Remus had expected. "Very much so."

"I guess you remember her face well, don't you. Do you see her often, when you sleep? That's assuming you can sleep."

"Assuming seems to be what you do best," the Death Eater snapped.

"You deserve better?" When the other man didn't reply, the wizard turned his head to follow Snape's gaze to the cot. "You let him kill Lily, too. This is becoming a habit for you. . ." Remus's legs cramped, his knees preparing to hinge back and lower the human body onto all fours. "Guess it's easier. . . This one's just a student of yours, not an old classmate. And I'm only a creature, less than you, correct? Isn't that your perspective on such matters?"

"She wasn't supposed to. . ." Snape grew quiet. His brow furrowed as he stopped himself from continuing, his eyes dark. "Did you enjoy your wine, Lupin?"

"Why?" the werewolf asked, grasping onto the bars to hold himself up, a slight smile holding back the grimace on his face. "Is it poisoned?"

"In a matter of speaking, yes."  
Remus's eyes widened. "You backstabbing arse," he hissed. "Is that what you consider mercy, poisoning both of us? That's rather uncreative of you, Severus. Surely, you could have come up with something better than that," he added, suddenly happy that neither he nor Ginny had taken a sip of the drink.

"And I did. It's poisonous only to you," Snape sneered, "and only when it's mixed with this." He drew out a corked vial, half the length of his little finger, and held it through the bars for the other man. "In fact, the two are fatal when combined."

"What is this supposed to be?" Remus asked, his wolf suddenly silent and the man suddenly aware.

"Mercy, of course."

Remus touched the vial, tenderly taking it from the wizard as if were a fragile flower. Temptation followed his abrupt sense of understanding. This was an answer to the riddle, one that he, as he believed, shamefully, had not yet considered.

"The Dark Lord," Snape continued, "needs one prisoner to lure in Potter. I'd prefer it was the girl."

"It's as simple as that then?" Lupin asked.

"Simple? As simple as you make it." Snape withdrew his hand, raising the other to fix the mask onto his face. He turned to walk away, back down the corridor. "I will be back to collect the body."

Remus pulled the cork from the vial, staring down it with a strange sense of curiosity. It felt strange, the gratitude. Death wasn't supposed to be a good thing, ever. Why then did he feel such relief at being handed his own life? It felt enough like a gift to send a chill down his back. "Thank you," he replied.

The footsteps paused. Remus wondered if the other wizard had expected him to realize what he was risking, going against his Lord's wishes.

"This is not for your benefit, Lupin."

And the voice faded, the owner either apparating or disappearing into one of the many rooms Lupin had passed when he'd arrived at his prison.

Remus stared down at the vial. In the light, he couldn't see any color, only black oil, thick and sticking to the sides of the container, its reek drifting upward and smelling of dead flowers and pepper plants. He didn't recognize the mixture. It could very well have been creation of Severus's.

The wine was waiting, sitting on the floor in the glass, the glass he's stared through to watch the young woman, painted in red. He picked it up quickly, pouring the black liquid into its contents. The mixture thickened immediately, becoming almost paste-like. Remus wondered faintly what death would taste like.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Harry Potter._**

**_The Beast Within_**

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**Chapter 6**

There was sand in his mouth, liquid that dried to grains as soon as it touched his tongue. The wolf didn't like it; it tasted like grass and age, making him cough, and for the beast, that alone meant trouble. And they howled. Remus couldn't hear her cry his name, not with all the racket the animal within was making.

He felt her piercing fingers on his arm as he lifted the glass further, attempting to consume the rest of the potion. Remus pushed her away, dropping what was left of the poison to the floor. What remained looked almost like a once solid object, melting over the sharp shards. The werewolf glanced back up at Ginny in horror.

"Ginny!"

She sat on her cot, nursing a skinned elbow that had slammed into the wall and staring up at the man with brimming blue eyes. The girl shook her head furiously, her smooth brow wrinkled as she held in some unspeakable emotion.

"How could you?" she whispered.

Remus's expression softened and he held back the pain, even as he felt organs twisting, beginning the shift upward to hug his spine. He hadn't known that she was awake. "How much did you hear?" he asked.

"You're killing yourself! You're leaving me!"

That was enough.

"How could you?" she said again, looking up at the wizard. "Don't you understand? They'll kill me anyway—they'll get rid of me when they're done, after they've gotten Harry!"

"Ginny, even one more day alive is another chance for you to escape, for someone else to find you," he answered. "You don't have another day left if I stay."

"So you're doing this for me?" The tears found edge but didn't fall. She was holding it in, and Remus knew as much. "Did you ever think," she continued, "about what I want? I've been here. . . It seems so long . . . And you want to leave me here, alone?"

Remus was aware of the coming change. It was tearing at his flesh from the inside out, preparing to take hold, and instinct told him to back away, pass on in a quiet corner by himself. But he couldn't refuse the witch's unshed tears. They asked him to stay close.

He slipped down onto his knees, bowed in front of her, his hands on either side of her body and his eyes cast up at the dark sky and at the object of his wolf's desire.

"I'm sorry. I don't want to leave you," he said, "but you'll make it out fine, Ginny. You need to make it out. I had to do this."

"I won't be able to make it out." Ginny held out a hand, softly putting it onto Remus's sandpaper cheek before she leaned into him, crying into his ear. "I'm not strong like the others."

The man curled his own arms around her, eyes shut as he blocked the transformation. "That's not true."

"No. It is. That's why Harry didn't want me along. Ron and Hermione can take something like this but not me. I'm still that little girl who was stupid enough tell my secrets to a diary to the others, to my parents, too. They all knew that I would fail," Ginny said, and Remus felt wetness dripping down his neck where her chin rested. "I don't want to be here. I don't want to stay. I'd rather you have killed me tonight than let those Death Eater bastards get the chance to dispose of me some other time! You should have asked me . . . You should have asked, and I would have told you what I wanted. But you did this for yourself. This was easy for you, all you had to do was let go."

Was it? Remus felt shame wash over him. It was for him, at least partially. He didn't want to kill her. Voldemort was right—he would break if he tasted her, if he ripped her to shreds, and he would be as worthless as a soulless man. The Order's secrets would be lost, he would be lost . . . Ginny would be lost. No. This was still for her. That sleeping angel had made him drink.

"Ginny, you're all I was. . ."

A gasp for air cut off his words, and it took him a moment to realize that it was he who had made the noise and he who had jerked out of the embrace. Ginny let go of him, and he fell over onto hands and knees, letting out a cry of anguish as he felt his bones finally begin to break and mold anew, his skin ripping itself to shreds as it began to grow a coat, his vision blurring an sharpening as his skull took on new form. A man's clothes dropped to the floor; his disguise was gone.

This wasn't supposed to happen. The poison—it was supposed to kill him faster than this. Perhaps he had not drunken enough, or perhaps the concoction itself had just been some sort of mocking hope that Snape had decided to dangle before him.

The call of the moon was too strong for him to form those thoughts. His senses were too busy catching up with his transformation. The eyes of a predator glared forward, view lowered to the level of his haunches, surveying the corridor past the bars. The man would barely have noticed the figures standing in the shadow outside the cage, but the wolf saw them and snapped in their direction. The two Death Eaters didn't move away, nor did they take action, quietly watching from their position with wands out and pointed cautiously in his direction.

And yet they took no action as the werewolf released a furious growl. It should have been the wolf who wanted to taste the blood of those onlookers, but the man inside was the one raging out at the small audience.

Remus was aware of his own state, staring out eyes that were not his own. This wasn't supposed to happen either. As a werewolf, Remus usually blacked out before the wolf's senses awakened fully, but he was scarily aware of all that he was seeing. This sensation was far different, even from the effects of the wolf's bane potion which left him in control of his new body. He was in no way in control of this form.

He could only watch from his demon's prison, screaming out for the wolf to stop, to listen to its daylight master. What had gone wrong? Was this some sort of further punishment for not thinking of some way to protect Ginny and himself?

He smelled it with the wolf, the blood poured over the cell's floor. And it was then that Remus finally felt it, that sense of fading into a sleep at the moon's call, out of existence so the wolf could have its say. But it was later than he would have wished, for the werewolf had already turned toward that alluring scent, its sights on the girl with her back against the wall.

The werewolf didn't see her, only red, as it lunged forward, and Remus plunged, screaming, into the darkness of his windowless prison.

**End Notes: Only one chapter left, so I hope you all tune in next time. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Harry Potter._**

****

**_The Beast Within_**

****

**Chapter 7**

The wolf was tired, worn and sore, and curled up like a pup down within him, napping with its torn paws under its snout. One lazy eye opened and nostrils flared wide. There was still blood in the air and not from the delicious mess that had spilled on the cage floor. But the eye wasn't allowed to see the source of the smell; the hunt was over, and the animal receded regretfully.

It was time for the man to awaken.

The sleep was thick and his lashes were matted. Remus blinked, aware of a tremendous headache throbbing from between his swollen eyes. The light in the room was faint and yellow from covered candles placed at his side, but even its washed-out touch stung like the sun's bright glare.

And he knew he was a man, because he hurt like a man. There was a tingling in his right hand that told him that something under the skin was broken, and his body was stiff, as if he had been beaten blue. Then he remembered it, the scent in the air, what the wolf was still smelling, even as it dreamed of ripping fur and rolling in dirt.

Remus attempted to sit up quickly, but a hand held him down. Ginny's face appeared above him, a look of worry at her brow and a soothing coo at her lips.

"Stay still," she said softly. "You shouldn't be moving around yet."

"Blood?" he asked.

A look of confusion passed over Ginny's face before she shook her head. "It's nothing—just a scratch. You didn't. . ." She swallowed hard. "You didn't bite me or anything, Remus. I just hit my arm, 's all. I'm alright, really."

The werewolf's head was swimming with thought, most of which consisted of the last memories of his transformation. "But how?" he asked, his voice somewhat slurred. "I remember coming at you. . ." Suddenly his brow furrowed. He couldn't see the sky. "Where are we?"

"Safe." Ginny smiled slightly, her fingers tightening around the sheet at the man's chest as if her arms were anxious to wrap around him. "We're in a tent, in a forest—I don't know where really. Snape just said it was. . ."

"Snape?" Remus hissed, grabbing hold of her arm. "Snape killed Dumbledore, Ginny."

"Calm down!" Ginny chided. Her skin had paled at the reference, but, at least, Remus was able to see it. She was clean, dressed in robes, now, though the witch was still somewhat thinner than she had been at school. "I'll tell you everything, at least everything I know—you just need to calm down first. You're head's all scrambled and your body doesn't look much better." The witch blushed slightly at her own comment. "What I mean is, you're probably still feeling the aftereffects of the potion. And the curse. I'm sure you're not supposed to use them together, especially since it isn't exactly legal to use them at all."

Remus's hand tightened around her frail arm. "Ginny, you're rambling. Just tell me what happened."

"Sorry," Ginny said. "I guess, I guess I'm just a bit frazzled. . . Snape's on our side. I don't know the hows or whys, but he helped us, for some reason." She moved away from him slightly, and Remus's eyes followed her. The witch sat down in a narrow chair by his bed where a blood stained water dish and cloth sat on a small, gnarl-legged table. "There must be something we don't know about what happened. . . to him, because, well, you're not dead."

"So I gathered," Remus answered.

"Then I suppose you've realized that the poison was not quite fatal," Ginny snapped, frowning at the interruption. "Snape lied to you, obviously."

"He did," the wizard stated. "This would not be the first time."

"Maybe not, but this time, at least, it was for your own good. The potion wouldn't have a the right effect if he'd told you about it ahead of time—you would have resisted the_ imperious_, if only subconsciously."

Remus's eyes widened at the mention of the unforgivable curse, and Ginny continued quickly to cut him off. "He did it to save our lives," she stated. "As much as I hate to say that about a man I previously despised with my very being, Professor Snape saved our lives last night—he had to use the curse to control your wolf."

Of all the questions crossing his mind, the wizard decided to only address logic. "That's impossible—one can't control a werewolf in full form with a spell, even one as powerful as an unforgivable. That's why we're such a danger to the wizarding community."

"Not with a spell alone, no. Snape wasn't very sparing with details, but, after much insistence on my part, I managed to get the jest of it," she began. "The wine and the vial were full of two different potions, one a diluted form of the wolf's bane potion he had in his ware and the other a type of poison meant to weaken the cognitive abilities of the drinker. See, the poison and potion you took allowed your wolf to calm and you to take some control of your body, and since you were in control. . ."

"He was able to control me," Remus concluded, "my consciousness within the wolf's body."

"It was harder than all that, apparently, or he wouldn't have needed help," Ginny answered. Seeing the look in the wizard's eye, she continued. "I don't know who the other Death Eater was but I've fairly certain she was a woman, they were both controlling you."

The Death Eaters he'd seen, brandishing their wands from the corridor. They were using them, after all. "So they were able to stop me from attacking you. Why would they go to such trouble? Why wouldn't they just unlock the door and release you?"

"Because, they didn't want to get caught." The witch smirked at some bit of cleverness that Remus did not yet comprehend. "They made you throw yourself against the door until it came off its hinges. My guess is they wanted it to look like you'd managed to escape and had pulled my body off along with you. Snape even planted some of my blood along the corridor before his lady friend apparated the lot of us here."

Remus blinked, as if he did not believe her. After a moment's pause, he asked, "Is he still here?"

"Snape? No." Ginny's frown deepened, she looked anxiously behind her at the tent's entrance, as if expecting someone. "I told him to stay, that they might find out about him helping us, but he wouldn't listen to me."

The werewolf sat up, wincing at the soreness that seemed to crawl through his body. "Ginny," he said, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder, "we still can't be certain that Severus was actually trying to help—he could be doing this on his lord's orders, for all we know. This may be some sort of trick."

"I don't think so." Ginny was still staring behind her. "There was something, something in the way he looked at me . . . He didn't want me to know what he'd done to you—if he was under order he would have said things differently. I just know it."

Remus held a persistent frown on his face before drawing her close, letting her head rest on his abused chest in a manner he knew would be considered indecent.

"He said," she whispered into him, "that we couldn't tell anyone what he did to help us, that no one could know, even the Order."

The werewolf closed his eyes, breathing softly. "If we keep to that, then we may have to make sacrifices of our own."

He felt the girl nod. "If we appear, alive, then the other Death Eaters will realize that someone set up our escape," Ginny replied. "Yes, I know. We can't tell anyone we're alive, yet, not till _he_'s dead, not until this war's over."

"That's not true."

The witch looked up at him.

"They only found your blood—no one would think anything of it if you went home. They would be left to conclude that I escaped and that you managed to get away after I knocked the door down. We can fake your injuries—none would be the wiser," Remus offered.

Ginny raised a brow. "You know that wouldn't work."

"It was worth a try," he answered.

"It's alright, Remus." The witch's arms circled around him loosely. "I don't mind hiding here with you. We're safe together."

"Tonight's another full moon."

"Then we'll see it together." She glanced over her shoulder at the table. Behind the water bowl sat a deep cup, its contents unseen. "Snape left enough for this month. We'll just have to figure out what to do later on."

Ginny looked back up at him, as if expecting some sort of reply. The werewolf gave none, simply releasing a burdened sigh. The witch straightened, raising her head till it was at the man's level and leaning forward to press her lips softly onto his unshaven cheek. Remus pulled away in surprise.

"We can't. . ." The wizard released her, pushing himself to the edge of the bed. "Ginny, you can't do that. It's not. . ."

The witch nodded slightly. "It was just a thank you . . . Professor, for taking care of me when I was alone. I'm glad you got caught up in this mess," she said, her cheeks blending in with her hair.

Remus hid a smile. The red framed girl. He saw her, again. This time, though, he wasn't afraid. "You're welcome, Ginny."

**Final Notes: I hope you enjoyed the story. Thank you for tagging along and talking me into finishing this. **


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